Madonna’s ‘Rebel Heart’ pounds MOA tonight despite boycott calls
It’s all systems go for Madonna’s “Rebel Heart” concert tonight and tomorrow, Feb. 25, at the Mall of Asia Arena (MOA) despite calls by a Catholic prelate for the faithful not to watch the concert which he said can become a venue for blasphemy.
“Before it was Lady Gaga. Now it is Madonna. Why is Catholic Philippines the favorite venue for blasphemy against God and the Holy Mother?” said Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles.
“Let us pray for our country that the devil will not succeed to draw anyone from this Pueblo Amante De Maria (a people in love with Mary) to his evil ways,” said Arguelles.
Singapore’s Roman Catholic archbishop also expressed concern at an upcoming concert by pop diva Madonna in the city-state and warned his flock against supporting those who “denigrate and insult religions.”
Archbishop William Goh said in a statement posted on the diocese website on Saturday that he had met various government officials to express the church’s concerns about the February 28 concert, part of her global Rebel Heart Tour. The concert, at the
55,000-seat National Stadium, will be Madonna’s first-ever in largely conservative Singapore.
She was barred from performing in Singapore in 1993 after police said her performances bordered on the obscene and were ‘’objectionable to many on moral and religious grounds’’.
All set for Madonna According to production director Jason Danter, a 150-man crew is working to ensure that the stage at MOA is ready for sound check prior to the concert. Manila is the 70th stop of the tour that’s been to North America and Europe.
Jason, who worked with pop star Lady Gaga’s team when she held a concert here a couple of years ago, noted that Madonna’s show could be “the biggest in terms of magnitude.”
“No disrespect to others who staged a show here, but I think it’s the biggest in terms of magnitude. Like, we’ve got three Boeing 747s full of equipment, this includes some 100 plus motors that would help us manage the audio and video equipment we’ve bought,” he said.
“To add to that, we also have two containers worth of costumes and they’re all brand new. We’re always regenerating them,” Tres Thomas, SVP for tour operation, added.
The cross-shaped stage, replete with another, smaller heart-shaped stage at its tip, is a brand new design specific for the tour. Jason and company said it is the same stage that fans have seen in other countries where the tour has had stops.
“Madonna herself requested the show in Manila will be what fans saw in Madison Square Garden or the London 02. So, nothing’s changed,” Tres said.
Hinting at what fans could expect from the show, he added, “The stage set is part of the show. There are elements in this stage that move. We will also employ some hydraulics and a bit of animation.”
The Queen of Pop is so specific when it comes to the stage design that she had it customized according to her needs.
“She wants it that she could go nearer the audience,” Jason said.
“Madonna always brings someone up from the audience, usually it’s a random fan with some unique little thing going on and she would bring them onstage to dance with her so, be ready,” added chief of operation Rick Sobkowiak.
With some fans lamenting that they could only afford general patronage seats, Tres said, “The stage is designed in a manner where the show is going to play the entire arena. There’s no bad seat in the house. She doesn’t want to shortchange fans. Besides, Madonna works the entire stage every show.”
Asked if she will be performing all her hits, Tres smiled, “We have a set and she usually doesn’t deviate from it but we’ve done shows where she did add some songs so, we don’t know, it could very well happen.”
Asked if Madonna will be checking on the work that’s going on, Jason said: “She checks on everything. She has people looking out for the little things, minding details. She wants things perfect and that’s what we’re giving her.”